Feeling abandoned by God?

I am writing this to anyone who currently feels like they are abandoned by God or struggling with those feelings.

Please know you will get those days. There are times when we feel alone physically and spiritually. We feel lost and afraid and abandoned. There are also times when we feel spiritually alone like God has walked away from us. I can tell you that there is no way God has walked on.

The feeling of abandonment tends to be rooted in our spiritual walk with Christ. When we struggle with sin, or anger or other burdening emotions, we tend to let ourselves get more isolated. The devil likes to make us feel unworthy and secluded and that we are not a part of anyone or anything. He is attempting to pull you away from God.

So that might be what you are experiencing. And if you notice it for what it is, you can combat it better.

While you are feeling abandoned, you are clearly going through a period of time when the enemy is attacking your thoughts and desires and feeding into your flesh. Anyone will tell you that we’ve all been there at some point and most have been there a few times, so you are not alone in this and there are people around you who will be good encouragers through this; do not push away from those around you because God can use them to support you.

Right now, your best thing to do is to focus your thoughts on who God says you are; you are precious and beautiful, worth His Son dying on the cross and worth His attention. He considers you more valuable than any single person on this earth ever could. And He literally thought about you and prayed for you while He was on this earth. You were specifically designed and purposefully made within your mother’s womb. It is that purpose that He put you here and He wants you to live that out.

Once you realize how important you are to Him and He cares for you more than anyone or anything; you will begin to learn that you can rest and relax in Him. You will begin to put aside all of those desires and things that flood your mind that cause distraction and confusion and start to pull yourself closer to Him.

Please know that those fleeting thoughts and flooding emotions and feelings are not sin. But allowing them to linger and not taking control over them is when the sin and struggle occurs. So at this point I ask that you take control and command over your thoughts and devote them to the Lord. Focus on Him and His relationship with you and NOTHING else for a while. Let Him begin to show you His love for you personally through reading His Word and listening to praise and worship. He will speak to your heart. And you will find peace. Get yourself around strong Christians who can support you through this time and as you yourself start to get stronger, you will be able to support others. After your strength increased, let God use you to help others struggling through their feelings and hurts; He is willing and able to turn what was meant to hurt you into something that helps you and others.

If you want to talk to someone right now, you can call 1-888-Need-Him and they will walk you through strengthening your relationship with God. You can also post here, or contact me through this website. There is no need to struggle and be alone.

I have been trying to do what you mention above, but to no avail. There is literally no one in my life that loves me – there are no Christians that I can talk to because all of my friends or so called friends are told not to talk to me. I have been isolated by the family of Christ and basically told to fend for myself. I cannot reveal anything about how I feel to anyone because there is no one- but God. As much as I love Him, He does not have the physical hands to comfort me. He doesn’t have the physical feet to come to me and no one can help me. I have truly been deserted. My family is far away and I am at odds with my immediate family. I have considered suicide but too scared. I don’t want to continue to live. I really feel like I should just die.

First I have to tell you that suicide is never the answer because you would have ended the life of someone whom God created and loves. You said it yourself that you have God and I am certain that your understanding of God is that life is precious and that He cares for us all. There are many help lines for you to call and they will just listen and talk you through your current frustration. I have seen over and again that something we see as so overwhelming, when we finally get through the major initial pain and hurt, we realize that the problem was not as big as the devil was trying to make us feel. Here is a website of numbers across the nation: http://www.suicidehotlines.com/ You can start there to get over the hump of the struggle you are facing, prayerfully that person will be able to show you how that mountain of a problem really is the size of a pimple that can be popped by you.

If you need someone to talk to or share with and you are not willing to call the numbers above, then I can get you in contact with either a man or woman near me who would be willing to talk to you via email and then over the phone, but I really want you to get some immediate help to silence the suicidal thoughts.

In response to the rest of your post:
This is the downfall of the Church, we ARE to be His hands and feet, we ARE to be the ones who GO and LOVE as we were taught. So for that I apologize, I can’t fix the church as a whole but I can tell you that if you talk to a real Christian who loves The Lord, no matter who they are or what church they are from, the Holy Spirit will guide them to love on you and comfort you. You are right, God’s physical hands and feet came more than 2000 years ago, but He passed on that role to us.

This is when I would encourage you to go out of your way to find someone in your church or neighborhood or a small group (mom’s group, young adult group, etc.) and reach out to one of them in there that you see at least looks or acts spiritually mature, and I’m praying that The Lord points you to the right person. Start out with that one person and share with them your hurt and pain (after you are comfortable with them). After a while maybe you will be able to share in a small group or within just some close friends as you develop those relationships. And then, prayerfully, you will be able to start to feel His hands wrapping around you.

Please come back and comment again or post on the prayer requests page here so I can hear how you are doing. God Bless you and know that I am personally praying for you through your current struggles.

hurt beyond words, I am so sorry that you feel isolated from your friends and family. But I am grateful that you felt led to respond to this post and reach out for help. Sometimes we may get help in unconventional ways. Who would have ever thought that someone who has never met you would care enough about you to pray for you? That’s just how God works! So I would encourage you to do like mtodd suggested and get involved in some group/activity. Maybe this is the new start, with new friends, that you need to help encourage you. I pray that you realize that you do matter! You are worth it! There’s someone else that needs to hear your story so that they can be encouraged to continue. There are people waiting on the other side of your obedience(willingness to step into something new) so they can also find hope.

The message of the Gospel of Grace is really good News. The finished work of the cross of Christ is truly amazing!!! I struggled for years trying to fix myself because I was under the impression that all my confessions and all my prayers were somehow going to help me save myself!!! The truth is he already saved you over 2000 years ago! You were crucified with Jesus on the cross. Every curse, sickness, depression, anxiety, worry, every that hinders you from God’s Love for you was on the Cross! What that means for you today, is you are free from sin, condemnation, feelings of unworthiness can be all washed away in his grace. You have been saved by Grace alone through Faith. Don’t try and work up any of your own Faith. Let Him who is the author and perfecter of your faith give you some right now!!! He is your ever present help in times of need. Jesus. Grace came in person to put you in himself. You are hidden and protected in him. Let him help you bring all these things into your present! His love for you is tangible! He is inside of you!!! Col. 2:9-10. Is this for just the one who Believes? It is for all humanity according to Col 1:19-22. Rest and sink his Grace that is over you right now. He is madly in love you!!!

I am a Christian of 34 years
I lost my job in August, my unemployment in December, my mother in January, my son in May, and finally, our house in June.
After one very long career, I returned to college, graduated with honors, accepted into a Christian law school, but the battle has never been more fierce.
Since 2011, I have been in the ER about 20 times due to fluttering in my heart and I’m really scared.
I think it’s wonderful that you have extended your heart to want to help others feeling this way.
Please pray for me~